Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698928565806.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER TUESDAY, 6 JULY 2021 No.

32 11.30 am 1 *1.

*2.

*3.

*4.

*5.


QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Manpower since the signing of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in 2005 (a) what are the net economic benefits for Singapore in terms of trade, value-added growth and citizen job growth; and (b) what has been the growth in foreign PMET numbers in our workforce by sector and occupation.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Manpower in each of the past five years, what is the number of complaints of nationality-based discrimination received by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), broken down by sector and occupation.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Manpower what has been the effectiveness of the different capability development schemes in building a local talent pipeline.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Free Trade Agreements the Singapore-India (FTA) Comprehensive Economic Agreement (CECA) have achieved their intended outcomes of increasing trade, growth and jobs; and (b) whether the jobs created have benefited Singaporeans.
including Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry how do commitments in the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement such as those pertaining to entry requirements and immigration privileges compare with those in other free trade agreements.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 2 *6.

*7.

*8.

*9.


Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry how have Singapore's free trade agreements, including the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, impacted Singapore’s global competitiveness, foreign trade, investment and growth, and employability of Singaporeans.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Prime Minister (a) since the introduction of the ‘make-up pay’ mechanism for political appointment holders in 1989, whether this mechanism has been used to increase the salary for any political appointment holders to make up the difference between their last drawn salary and the salary of their political office; (b) if yes, who has it been applied to; (c) what has been the increase in the quantum of the make-up pay; and (d) what is the time period and duration it is effected for.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Defence regarding the 16 People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft that flew through Singapore’s Flight Information Region (FIR) on 31 May 2021 (a) whether the RSAF tracked the flight of these aircraft; (b) whether the RSAF was successful in establishing communications with them; (c) how many of such unannounced entries into Singapore's FIR by PLAAF aircraft have taken place in the past year; and (d) what are the plans to ensure the safety of flights to and from Singapore should tensions among rival claimants of islands in the South China Sea escalate.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) what is the Government's situational assessment regarding the flight of 16 People’s Liberation Army Air Force aircraft that passed through Singapore’s Flight Information Region on 31 May 2021 over waters which are disputed by China and Malaysia; and (b) whether plans are in place to ensure the security and safety of flights to and from Singapore should tensions among rival claimants escalate in the airspace over the South China Sea.

*10.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether there were pandemic plans at Changi Airport before May 2021; (b) whether these required passenger and staff segregations based on risk assessments of countries; (c) what were the considerations for the mingling of (i) arriving passengers from high- risk and low-risk regions before 15 May (ii) arriving and departing passengers before 13 June and (iii) staff exposed to different risks; (d) how does CAAS classify countries as “very high risk” and “high risk” with arrivals from the former being separately escorted; and (e) whether an inquiry has been made for such decisions.
No.

32 6 JULY 2021 3 *11.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport in respect of flights from high-risk COVID-19 countries (a) whether the Government will consider setting up a separate stand-alone facility away from the airport terminal buildings for immigration and customs clearance of arriving passengers; and (b) whether transit passengers from such flights can be sent from such facility to their departing aircraft at a remote bay thus avoiding any sharing of the use of the terminal buildings with other passengers arriving from or departing for other countries.
*12.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the additional duties or responsibilities that airport workers have had to assume since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that allow them to keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe for more than 16 months before the Delta variant came about and since the more transmissive Delta variant arose; and (b) how are the Government and aviation companies supporting frontline airport staff especially when these staff have had to adjust to enhanced measures at Changi Airport.
*13.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) in light of the zonal segregation measures at Changi Airport, how will countries be classified based on their evolving COVID-19 situation; (b) whether the Ministry will consider dedicating one terminal away from the main arrival terminals for use by arrivals from very high-risk countries; and (c) how can the frontline aviation workers safeguard themselves and Singapore given the risk they face daily in keeping the airport open.

*14.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether travellers arriving into Singapore at all air, land and sea entry points who have yet to receive their COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction test results are permitted to take modes of transport where they will be within two metres of drivers or other passengers; (b) if so, whether this practice risks community transmission of imported infections; and (c) whether these passengers can instead be provided dedicated transport to a Stay-Home Notice dedicated facility with drivers wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.
*15.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can provide an update on the recognition of health passports issued by the International Air Transport Association and individual countries; and (b) how can the Singapore Government verify the authenticity of the Immunity Health Passport issued by the respective countries with regard to personal immunisation records and COVID-19 test results.

*16.
*16.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether there are any plans to provide additional financial aid to affected hawkers who have been forced to close or seen their business drop significantly due to their proximity to a COVID-19 cluster; and (b) how does the Ministry intend to help draw the crowds back to affected markets and hawker centres once the COVID-19 cluster has closed.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 4 *17.


Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment with the recent outbreaks at hawker centres and markets, whether NEA has any plans to further enhance their infrastructure such as the layout for queueing, seating, tray return, washing, waste disposal and cleaning procedures for common use areas.

*18.
*18.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how will the revised wages for the cleaning sector under the Progressive Wage Model impact the wages of other lower wage workers; (b) what are the future plans for sectors with lower wage workers; and (c) how will this build a stronger social compact.

*19.
*19.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what skillsets has the Ministry planned for workers in the cleaning sector to possess to remain relevant in the move towards cleaning automation; and (b) what is the Ministry’s plan to ensure that the cleaning industry will continue to provide viable livelihoods in the long term.

*20.
*20.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) why is the wage ladder under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the cleaning sector determined only in 2021 when the announcement for a 6-year wage increment under the PWM for that sector was made in 2016; (b) what are the considerations for the 6-year rollout period; and (c) whether the cleaning industry has been consulted on wage quantum and rate of increments.

*21.
*21.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower with the adjustments to cleaners’ wages under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) (a) what will be the overall increase in costs to the industry in a year given the additional manpower required due to the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) how will businesses and the community be impacted by such additional costs; and (c) how is the Ministry engaging the industry to increase mechanisation to raise productivity and cut manpower needs.

*22.
*22.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the roll-out plans for the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the retail and food services sector; (b) what is the plan to implement PWM for other vocational roles that are not currently covered under the PWM; and (c) how will PWM contribute to shifting away from reliance on foreign manpower.

*23.
*23.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how is the wage ladder under the latest Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the cleaning sector decided upon; and (b) whether the Government will provide support to cleaning companies with existing contracts that are tendered based on the previous PWM wage recommendation.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 5 *24.


Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower in the past decade, how does growth in the wages of the bottom 20% of workers compare with (i) median wage growth in Singapore and (ii) income growth of bottom 20% of workers in OECD countries.

*25.
*25.

Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how has the COVID- 19 pandemic affected lower wage workers; and (b) whether the pandemic has delayed implementation timelines for expansion of the Progressive Wage Model to other sectors and other efforts to uplift lower wage workers.

*26.
*26.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) will be adjusted such that enhancements to wages under the Progressive Wage Model are not entirely offset by lower WIS payouts.

*27.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners (TCC) discussed ways to ensure that the higher cost arising from enhanced wages under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the cleaning sector will be fairly borne by cleaning companies, service buyers and the public, (b) what are some of the feedback the TCC received from cleaning companies and their service buyers; and (c) what lessons can be drawn from this as the PWM is expanded to other sectors.
*28.

Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Manpower given plans to adopt a vocational approach for the Progressive Wage Model (PWM), how will progressive wages be extended to workers who are employed by companies in sectors not currently covered by the PWMs and whose majority of rank and file workers will not be on PWM, without disrupting the pay and cost structure in such companies.

*29.
*29.

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Manpower how will the cleaning industry be impacted by the recent announcement on the Progressive Wage Model for cleaners.

*30.
*30.

Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what has been the average wage increase of cleaners under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) over the years; (b) whether the PWM has improved the quality of cleaning; (c) whether the PWM has caused a reduction in the number of cleaners employed, especially for those smaller scale F&B outlets; and (d) whether the PWM has a knock-on effect on food prices.

*31.
*31.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the income qualifying criteria for Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) will be adjusted in line with the new Progressive Wage Model (PWM).

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 6 *32.

Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower how will Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) complement the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) so that an increase in wages of workers through PWM is not offset by a reduction in WIS payouts.

*33.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Government intends to increase labour productivity of the cleaning sector in tandem with the projected doubling of the wage floor from the current $1,236 to $2,420 by 2028 under the latest updates to the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for this sector; (b) if so, how will this doubling of productivity be brought about; and (c) whether workers in this sector will face higher unemployment if this productivity increase cannot be achieved.
*34.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for workers with wages at the bottom 20% of the workforce (a) what is the number and percentage of workers from the cleaning, security, landscape and lift and escalator industries who can benefit; (b) what is the additional number and percentage of workers who will benefit from the expansion of PWM into the food, retail and waste management industries; and (c) what lessons can be drawn from the implementation of the PWM to expedite its expansion.
*35.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the demographic of the group that chooses not to receive any vaccinations against COVID-19; and (b) what can be done to encourage them to be vaccinated.

*36.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs with regard to online and phone scams reported in each of the past three years (a) how many were perpetrated against Singapore-based victims by persons situated overseas; (b) what is the financial loss suffered by these victims; (c) how many of these cases were prosecuted, either in Singapore or overseas; and (d) given the difficulties associated with investigating such crime, what is the Police’s strategy to protect Singapore residents from online or phone scams originating from overseas.
*37.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether he can provide an update on the regulatory and enforcement framework to ensure that social media platforms respond in a timely manner and act upon reports of scammers and imposters on their sites.

*38.
*38.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information following the spate of ransomware incidents abroad involving companies providing critical services, what steps are being taken in Singapore to guard against such incidents from occurring in Singapore.

*39.
*39.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information how is Singapore preparing to guard against severe ransom attacks by hackers in light of the high-profile ransom attacks in North America and other parts of the world.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 7 *40.


Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will work with all hawker stalls, coffee shops and food court operators to provide incentives to consumers in the return of food trays in view of savings in table clearing costs; and (b) whether the Ministry will look into the use of recyclable trays or paper table cloths that can be used as wrappers of food waste for proper, hygienic and quick disposal by consumers into dustbins.
*41.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) to date, how many summons have been issued for failure to wear face masks; and (b) what actions can be taken to encourage members of the public to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

*42.
*42.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many dependant passes have been issued in the past year; (b) why are dependant pass holders not promptly disallowed entry when there was a surge in imported COVID-19 cases; and (c) whether work permits and dependant passes can be delinked to allow more efficient revisions to border policies in case of a rebound in COVID-19 cases.

*43.
*43.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Prime Minister how does the Government intend to address the Emerging Stronger Conversations as at 31 December 2020 specifically Social Support and National Identity and Shared Values which ranked above Jobs and the Economy and Digitalisation and Technology.

the most discussed topics across *44.


Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for National Development following the announcement on 7 June 2021 on wage increases for cleaners under the Progressive Wage Model, whether the Ministry will consider increasing the subvention grant to Town Councils.

*45.
*45.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment what precautions have been introduced for waste handling in housing estates and hospitals in light of the detection of viral fragments in wastewater samples in clusters like the Bukit Merah cluster.

*46.
*46.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether he can provide an update on the investigation into the incident of a rainbow flag being thrown at staff of the SMOL salad bar at Lau Pa Sat; and (b) whether further steps will be taken to deal with such incidents of abuse due to discrimination.

*47.
*47.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the current options for young and vulnerable teens to seek shelter if they are kicked out of their homes for reasons such as their sexual orientation or gender identity; and (b) whether the Government will consider extending financial support to shelters run by LGBTQ+ community groups such as the T Project Shelter.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 8 *48.


Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the safety fire considerations for lift users when a non-compliant bike or e-bike is brought into a lift; (b) whether there has been a thorough investigation of the recent fatal incident due to a personal mobility device that caught fire in a lift; (c) if so, whether the cause for the combustion has been identified; and (d) how can this be addressed to prevent similar incidents.

*49.
*49.

Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Manpower with regard to citizens who have reached 55 years old and intend to apply for a HDB flat but are constrained by the high demand and current limited supply of Built-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance (SBF) Flats, whether they can be allowed a grace period to secure a HDB flat before their CPF monies are transferred to their Retirement Account.

*50.
*50.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the rationale for removing the concession allowing for a non- subsidised resale HDB flat to be used as transitional housing; (b) when was the concession removed; and (c) whether the Government can reintroduce the concession and introduce other schemes in addition to the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme to support families’ immediate housing needs given further delays to ongoing BTO projects.

*51.
*51.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are some of the measures that HDB is taking to reduce the impact of the construction delays; (b) what are the alternative housing solutions that HDB can provide in the interim; and (c) what is the average completion time for new BTOs that are made available for balloting today.

*52.
*52.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how may HDB increase the stock of available flats under Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme to support families impacted by BTO construction delays; and (b) whether the rental rates can be flexible and adjusted to accommodate low- income families.

*53.
*53.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many HDB rental flats are currently not occupied; and (b) whether HDB can allow the buyers of BTO flats that were delayed to rent these flats on a temporary basis.

*54.
*54.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will review its policy and consider allocating a bigger proportion of BTO HDB flats for first-time home buyers in light of current delays to all BTO projects and longer waiting time for prospective homeowners.

*55.
*55.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the current number of vacant HDB rental flats available for allocation; (b) what is the number of approved HDB rental flat applicants on the waiting list pending allocation compared to past five years’ averages; and (c) what is the average waiting time from the date of registration compared to past five years’ averages.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 9 *56.


Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the current upstream interventions to detect and prevent incidents of child abuse cases; (b) whether the Child Protective Service is adequately staffed to handle the surge in child abuse cases amid the COVID- 19 pandemic; and (c) what are the Ministry’s plans to reverse this upward trend in child abuse cases.

*57.
*57.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Prime Minister whether the impact and disruption of COVID-19 has required the Government to review its population strategies so as to pivot the economy in concert with the recommendations of the Emerging Stronger Taskforce report.

*58.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs in respect of sexual harassment or violence cases involving any staff, student or asatizah in MUIS, mosques, madrasahs or other religious institutions under MUIS, whether MUIS has (i) whistleblowing and reporting procedures for such cases (ii) training and education efforts to increase awareness of the legal protection framework for victims and (iii) a network of trained professionals to provide psychological, emotional and spiritual support for victims.
*59.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) in cases involving allegations of sexual harassment and violence against azatizahs, what is the approach by the Asatizah Recognition Board before deciding whether or not to suspend, cancel or refuse recognition of an azatizah under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme; and (b) what are the criteria, processes and average duration for a person seeking reinstatement under the Asatizah Reintegration Programme.
*60.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) what is the progress of investigations into the online poll ranking of female Muslim religious teachers for sexual attractiveness; (b) whether the perpetrators have been identified; (c) whether there is a larger trend of sexual misconduct in religious schools and institutions; and (d) what are the training, initiatives and support systems available to encourage members of religious schools and institutions to whistleblow on such behaviour in anonymity and without fear of adverse consequences, harassment, victimisation, retaliation, or pressure from others.
No.

32 6 JULY 2021 10 *61.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) when did MUIS first receive a complaint on the sexually-explicit online poll targeting at women Islamic religious teachers and what was the action taken; (b) since the matter was first reported till now, how many similar cases have been reported to MUIS; (c) what measures are being taken by MUIS to counsel and rehabilitate the suspects; and (d) when will MUIS introduce a comprehensive revision of its moral education programme for students of Kids aLIVE and Teens aLIVE and the Muslim public.
*62.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) what form of sex education and youth engagement is conducted in madrasahs and mosques; (b) what form of training is provided to the staff on how to handle allegations and incidents of sexual harassment and counsel victims of such incidents; and (c) what is being done to promote gender equality in the mosque and madrasah communities.

*63.
*63.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has plans to regulate or license private tuition teachers and tuition agencies/enrichment centres; and (b) what mechanisms are in place to ensure those working as private tuition teachers or in tuition agencies/enrichment centres do not have criminal records of sexual offences or violent crimes.

*64.
*64.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education with recent reports of sexual offences involving young children, whether the Ministry will consider reviewing and enhancing the current Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework to safeguard the physical and mental well-being of students.

*65.

*66.
*65.

*66.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education (a) what are the efforts to help schools handle sexual offences in schools; and (b) what are the kinds of support rendered to affected students and staff members.
Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education whether there are any efforts to equip parents and teachers with the skills to look out for and recognise signs of distress and abuse in students and subsequently refer the matter for professional support or to relevant authorities where necessary.

*67.
*67.

Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Ministry is aware of online retail platforms that offer a variety of knives including karambit knives for sale; (b) whether the ease and accessibility of procuring such dangerous weapons is a cause for concern; and (c) whether the Ministry intends to review the laws and policies associated with the sale of such products.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 11 *68.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of a study which found that women are less satisfied with their marriages during and after the circuit breaker period (a) whether a similar theme has surfaced during the Conversations on Women Development sessions; (b) whether more support can be provided to married women especially mothers during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) what more can be done to encourage men to shoulder the burden that women carry at home to strengthen marriages in Singapore.
*69.

Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the obstacles preventing application of tax rebates and baby bonuses to single parents; and (b) how can these obstacles be overcome, bearing in mind the need to provide support for young children especially given the financial stress imposed by the pandemic.

*70.
*70.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Prime Minister whether there are plans to review existing policies to provide further support for Singaporeans who wish to conceive but are unable to do so under current conventions.

*71.
*71.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) to date, how many appeals have been received for the COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund (CDRF); (b) what are the numbers of successful and unsuccessful appeals against the total number of private-hire car (PHC) drivers; and (c) whether the CDRF criterion of an average of 200 trips per month from 1 October to 31 December 2020 can be reviewed downwards due to the fall in ridership and to include delivery trips undertaken by these drivers.

*72.
*72.

Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Transport in view of the recent all-time high COE price for motorcycles (a) whether there are plans to mitigate the situation; and (b) whether there will be any review of the current motorcycle COE system so as to better regulate the COE prices.

*73.
*73.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for National Development what new guidelines and support are being contemplated by HDB to resolve disamenities impacting neighbours arising from cigarette smoke and noise disturbance in this new normal of extended periods at home with the home fast becoming the workplace as well.

*74.
*74.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether there has been an increase in complaints about construction noise near residential estates in the last three years; and (b) whether NEA can review the regulations to reduce noise from construction sites that are situated within 100 metres of residential estates.

No.

32 *75.
No.

32 *75.

6 JULY 2021 12 Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Education in light of rising proportions of those aged 25 and above attaining tertiary education qualifications and and increased job competition, what measures will be taken to prevent and manage the effects of “credential hyperinflation”.

*76.
*76.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) in the past year, what is the success rate of ComCare applications; (b) what are the mean and median processing time and amount of award and duration for such applications; (c) what is the most common reason for rejection; and (d) what has been the success rate of appeals against rejections; (e) how frequently are the income caps for various ComCare assistance schemes reviewed; and (f) when is the next review scheduled.

*77.
*77.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Law whether the Ministry can take an active approach to help Singaporeans who do not meet the current means test for pro bono legal services and cannot afford the market cost of legal services in matters such as deputyship, estate administration and divorce.

*78.
*78.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for National Development whether home-based businesses that reside in larger premises can receive more than five distinct guests a day as long as they fulfil the prevailing guidelines on the number of people per square foot that other retailers abide by.

*79.
*79.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether Singapore will face a quickened pace of inflation; and (b) if so, how will such a development affect the Singapore economy over the next 12 months.

*80.
*80.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the enrolment progress of general practitioners (GPs) under the primary care network (PCN); (b) whether the enrolment rate of GPs in PCN meets the expected target set by the Ministry; and (c) what is the measurable impact of a strong PCN on chronic disease management.

*81.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Government can consider longer leases for livestock farms beyond the current 20-year lease for all new agricultural land; (b) what is the rationale for determining such a 20-year lease; (c) whether the new Agri-Food Cluster Transformation Fund can align its co-funding quantum across projects in primary production of leafy vegetables, food fish and hen eggs, and projects in primary production of other food types; and (d) what is the rationale for a higher co-funding quantum for the former projects compared to the latter projects.
*82.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in each of the past three years, how much and what kinds of waste have been produced by Singapore’s fish farms; (b) what are the waste collection processes in place to ensure that the waste does not end up in the sea; and (c) whether the waste is segregated for circular usage or incineration.

No.

32 *83.
6 JULY 2021 13 Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what capabilities do agencies have to analyse airflow, ventilation and movement of droplet or airborne particles in existing buildings and proposed new built environment designs; (b) whether this is considered in designing new healthcare facilities; and (c) whether the Ministry will review existing healthcare facilities' airflow in the different hospital wards and facility settings as part of minimising transmission of COVID-19 and emerging pathogens.
*84.

*85.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what capabilities exist for detecting the presence, viability and infectivity of the COVID-19 virus in built environments, including in air and on surfaces which members of the public or staff may come into contact with; and (b) whether these tests have been applied to at-risk settings including urban hotspots and Changi Airport's terminals and, if so what are the findings.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the median and 90th percentile turnaround time to obtain a virus whole genome sequencing (WGS) result from the time a patient's COVID-19 test is reported as positive; (b) to date, how many COVID-19 cases have case cluster linkages established through WGS assistance; and (c) how does this compare with the experience of other healthcare systems overseas.

*86.
*86.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the the Government can strongly encourage all organisations related Government, Ministries and Statutory Boards outside of the public service that receive significant direct or indirect Government funding, to raise their re- employment age limit to 68 years with immediate effect.

to *87.
to *87.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in the last 12 months, how many incidences of waste collection lapses have been logged with NEA where Sembwaste Pte Ltd has been the public waste collector, (b) of these lapses, how many have occurred in Sengkang town; and (c) how many fines have been issued by NEA to Sembwaste in relation to such lapses in waste collection across the different sectors.

*88.
*88.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Prime Minister (a) for each year in the past five years, what percentage of public servants who use childcare sick leave are also eligible for flexible work arrangements; and (b) if such data is not being collected, whether the Ministry will start collecting it.

*89.
*89.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Prime Minister (a) for each year in the past five years, what percentage of public servants who use parent-care leave are also eligible for flexible work arrangements; and (b) if such data is not being collected, whether the Ministry will start collecting it.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 14 *90.


Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry can help undertakers provide the TraceTogether infrastructure at funeral wakes to spare the families of the deceased from having to personally keep records for those who do not have the TraceTogether app or token, particularly among the elderly.

*91.
*91.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Ministry has monitored business practices since the onset of COVID-19 for opportunistic profiteering especially during periods when stricter health measures are in place, such as during the circuit breaker and Phase Two (Heightened Alert) periods; and (b) what system of safeguards are in place to prevent and address such occurrences.

*92.
*92.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Government is currently reviewing Generation IV nuclear reactors as a potential source of energy for Singapore in the future; and (b) what criteria will be considered in reviewing nuclear power as a potential source of energy for Singapore.

*93.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) what steps will be taken by Singapore to comply with the UN General Assembly Resolution of 18 June 2021 calling for arms embargo on Myanmar; and (b) whether the fact that ASEAN countries voted differently in the Resolution has any bearing on ASEAN's efforts in working together on its Five-Point Consensus agreed in April 2021 to achieve the cessation of violence, commencement of constructive dialogue with all parties and the release all political prisoners.
*94.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs with regard to Singapore supporting the United Nations General Assembly resolution on Myanmar passed on 18 June 2021 (a) what steps will be undertaken to comply with the resolution; (b) what specific action will be pursued with regard to arms sales to the Tatmadaw; and (c) whether the Government will implement an arms export ban to Myanmar on companies who have been found to have supplied arms used in violence against civilians.

*95.
*95.

Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Education in light of the findings in the Census of Population 2020, whether there is any immediate and specific action plan to tackle the issue of low education levels of the Malay community.

*96.
*96.

Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Education (a) for each year from 2011 to 2020, how many Malays entered local universities; (b) what is the percentage breakdown as compared to other races; and (c) how many Malays failed to adhere to the 10-year compulsory education policy.

No.

32 *97.
No.

32 *97.

6 JULY 2021 15 Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether there are plans and measures in place in private properties to ensure that individuals living in community enclaves are exposed to neighbours from other communities of varied socio-economic backgrounds and ethnicities.

*98.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) who holds the reversionary interest of the land belonging to Wakaf Haji Pitchay Meerah Hussain at No 5 Lorong 9 Geylang Road; (b) how was the wakaf land and property which is to be forever used as madrasah be used as a temple; (c) how did MUIS come to a decision to carve out a 199-year leasehold on this property; and (d) whether the family of the donor has been informed and agreed to such a change.
* Members may postpone their Questions to a later sitting day if their Questions are not reached by the end of Question Time (QT).

For such Questions, Members may email to parl_cop@parl.gov.sg in advance a postponement notice that will be effected after QT.

Members must submit their notices to the Clerk within one hour after the end of QT (SO 22(3)).

Questions will be given a written answer if no such notices are received by the Clerk within the stipulated time.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS 1.


Minister for Health: 2.

Minister for Manpower: Free Trade Agreements and Foreign Manpower.

Note: Notice is given for the Ministerial Statements to be debated under SO.

44.

AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS Introduction of Government Bill 1.

Minister for Law: Copyright Bill.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 16 ORDERS OF THE DAY 1.

Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

11/2021] – (Minister for Social and Family Development).
Resumption of Debate on Question (5 July 2021) “That the Bill be now read a second time.”.

– (Minister for Social and Family Development).

2.

Registration of Births and Deaths Bill [Bill No.

13/2021] – (Second Minister for Home Affairs) – Second Reading MEMORANDUM Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)).

Ms Raeesah Khan (Sengkang) : Sexuality Education in Schools as First Line of Defence Against Sexual Violence.

1.

2.

3.
1.

2.

3.

QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister what are the key drivers for (i) the rise in number of married couples in resident households aged 65 and above where both husband and wife are working beyond the retirement age from 7.6% in 2010 to 17.8% in 2020 and (ii) the decline in households aged 65 and above where both husband and wife are not employed from 66.3% in 2010 to 49.4% in 2020.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what changes have been made to policies and practices following recent cases of influence operations and foreign intelligence recruitment involving individuals who have previously studied or worked at local academic institutions; (b) how is the Ministry raising awareness among private citizens to sensitise them to the risks of influence operations and foreign intelligence recruitment, particularly those that play on cultural affinity; and (c) what messages have been delivered to countries that have engaged in influence operations and recruitment attempts in Singapore.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether SCDF can require, as part of its public warning system, that building owners ensure that broadcasts from local FM radio stations dealing with imminent threats that may endanger lives and properties can be received at the basements of buildings.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 17 4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.


Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the Ministry's assessment of the current state of implementation of the four key strategies of the Security Industry Transformation Map announced in 2018; and (b) what are the Ministry's immediate priorities to facilitate better outcomes and careers in private security.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the last 10 years, how many race-related incidents have been investigated by the police annually; and (b) how many cases resulted in (i) stern warnings (ii) charges being made and (iii) convictions annually.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the total development cost of Connect@Changi; (b) what is the process by which the contract was awarded to the consortium; (c) what has been the room utilisation and revenues derived from the facility since its opening; and (d) what is the expected payback period for the project.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what are the reasons for collapsing the demographics of the Indian resident population into "Tamil”, “Malayalee”, “Sikh”, “Hindi” and “other Indians” for Census of Population 2020, unlike Census of Population 2010 where the same Indian resident population was sub-categorised in greater detail into “Tamil”, “Malayalee”, “Hindi”, “Sikh”, “Punjabi”, “Hindustani”, “Urdu”, “Gujarati”, “Sindhi”, “Sinhalese” and “other Indians”.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what considerations determine the inclusion of new demographic sub-categories and the exclusion of previously reported sub-categories under "Other Ethnic Groups" in Census of Population 2020.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether he can explain the rise from 175,661 individuals to 244,529 individuals recorded in the sub-category of "Other Chinese" under Chinese resident population in the Census of Population 2010; and (b) whether this sub-category can be further expanded for greater clarity and analysis.
Dr Tan Yia Swam: To ask the Minister for Transport whether there is a mental health and support system in place for drivers of public transport such as train, bus and taxi drivers.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many commuters have signed up for the SimplyGo Account Based Ticketing (ABT) system since its launch in April 2019; (b) what is the breakdown of the sign- up rate by age group; and (c) whether the Ministry intends to do more to assist seniors in adopting ABT.
No.

32 6 JULY 2021 18 12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Transport whether there are any updates to plans for a global or regional immunity passport to ensure the authenticity of COVID-19 vaccinations for air travel and border control.
Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether LTA has seen an increase in the number of vehicle owners failing to renew their road tax on time after its move away from physical letters to digital communication methods in 2019; and (b) whether LTA can make available an option for the public to receive physical letters.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau or MPA will be carrying out their own investigation in respect of the fire onboard the Singapore-registered vessel “X- Press Pearl” and its subsequent sinking in Sri Lankan waters; and (b) if so, whether the findings and any lessons learned will be made public.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment under the “30 by 30” food production target of SFA (a) what is the breakdown of local production targets for vegetables, eggs and fish; (b) whether there are local production targets for other farms such as goat, frog, shrimp, cattle, and other food and, if not, why; and (c) what is the progress to date towards the “30 by 30” target, broken down by food type.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) from 2016 to 2020, what is the annual number of cooked food stalls at social enterprise hawker centres (SEHCs); (b) what are the annual numbers of newly registered hawker stalls and stall closures at (i) SEHCs and (ii) non- SEHC hawker centres; and (c) whether there have been any substantive changes in the monthly rate of newly registered hawker stalls and stall closures in the first six months of 2021.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether NEA can deploy at HDB estates recycling bins with bin capacity sensors and develop an app showing the locations and availability of recycling bins which are not full to deal with the problem of residents wanting to discard materials for recycling but finding the bins full instead.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider any future changes to the average class size or infrastructure of primary and secondary schools to better equip our schools to face the threat of the current and future pandemics.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether schools will grant students at least one week of excuse from strenuous physical activity in school after each dose of a COVID-19 vaccine; and (b) whether active monitoring of students’ condition post-vaccination will be carried out to detect symptoms of myocarditis or pericarditis.

No.

32 20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.
24.

25.

26.

6 JULY 2021 19 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry can assure parents who still have concerns of medical risks in respect of the COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12-18 that (i) there will be no pressure for their children to be vaccinated if their parents have any reservations (ii) such parents will be given the right to indicate non-consent on all such consent forms and (iii) no Primary 6 child will be vaccinated before reaching the age of 12.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) whether Government land sales revenues and investment receipts have been previously fully recognised as revenue; and (b) if so, when was the change effected and why.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) what are the changes in the highest personal income tax rate and corporate income tax rate since 1991; and (b) what are the changes in other taxes like GST, water tax and other taxes since 1991.
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) how will Singapore be affected by the G7 agreement to reform the global tax system; (b) how will this global reform be implemented; and (c) how can Singapore capture opportunities or mitigate its impact.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development for each year in the past five years, among social workers at Family Service Centres whose duties do not include supervising other social workers, what are the average 25th percentile, 50th percentile and 75th percentile numbers of cases per social worker.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development what is the rationale for changing the Family Service Centre (FSC) funding system from a tiered system to one based on the exact number of cases handled by each FSC.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there are measures to prevent clusters of COVID-19 infection of preschoolers arising from households served with Leave of Absence (LOA), Stay-Home Notice (SHN) or Quarantine Order (QO); (b) whether the Ministry will mandate stay-at-home orders for preschoolers and staff with COVID-19 symptoms even if they have not sought medical consultation and hence not been served with LOA, SHN or QO; and (c) whether more support in the form of school fee relief can be provided to parents when children are required to stay home.
No.

32 27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.
6 JULY 2021 20 Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether SG Enable’s Taxi Subsidy Scheme has been extended to individuals whose monthly per capita household income is above $2,800 due to special circumstances of the applicant; (b) if so, how many of such cases are there and what are the reasons for doing so; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider subsidising (i) trips other than those between the home and workplace/school, subject to a cap and (ii) trips by private hire operators for persons in wheelchairs who face limited vehicle options.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs in light of the migration of Wakaf Haji Pitchay Meerah Hussain to 11 Beach Road (a) what is the land area, gross plot ratio and gross floor area of 11 Beach Road; (b) how does MUIS derive income from 11 Beach Road; and (c) how much income has been derived since the migration.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Health in each year of the past three years (a) what is the number of claims for serious pregnancy and delivery-related complications that are covered by MediShield Life; and (b) what is the median age of patients experiencing these complications.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry can consider to subsidise all hospitalisation costs for birth deliveries up to C-class ward rates in public hospitals for the first two children of each Singaporean family regardless of whether the child is delivered in public or private hospitals in Singapore.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current take-up rate of the Sinovac vaccine; (b) how many reimbursements has the Government made to patients who took Sinovac; and (c) how does the Government assess whether these patients took Sinovac for medical reasons, ie patients who cannot take the mRNA vaccines due to medical reasons.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry has an alternative plan to ensure all COVID-19 vaccine registrants are able to receive at least one dose of the vaccine with minimal waiting time; and (b) what is the longest possible gap between the first and second dose for the mRNA vaccine without sacrificing efficacy of the vaccine or safety of the patient.
Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Health to date, what is the number of appeals received for waiver of quarantine requirements by Singaporeans, permanent residents and Employment Pass holders who are already vaccinated against COVID-19 respectively.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 21 34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.


Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Health (a) since the update given in May 2021, how many more applications have been made under the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme; and (b) how many payments have been approved under the programme.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many cases of breaches under the Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules have been reported since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) what action has HDB taken to ensure compliance with the Rules; and (c) whether HDB will set up a process to enable affected residents to lodge requests for deferment of noisy renovation works before HDB issues a renovation permit.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development for each year in the past five years (a) how many single unwed parents have applied to rent a flat from HDB; (b) how many of such applications have been rejected; (c) what are the top reasons for the rejections; and (d) if such data is not being collected, whether the Ministry will start collecting it.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for National Development considering that working from home and home-based learning will occur frequently, whether the Ministry will require that (i) renovation contractors provide good soundproofing so that loud drilling and hacking does not affect neighbouring residents and (ii) notices of renovation works be placed at lift lobbies at least one week in advance so that neighbours are better able to prepare and make adjustments to work and study arrangements.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) in the past 18 months, how many HDB resale flats have been sold below valuation; and (b) how many have been sold with cash over valuation of (i) $10,000 or below in each district (ii) between $10,000 and $20,000 in each district (iii) between $20,000 and $30,000 in each district and (iv) above $30,000.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether workplace injuries in the food and beverage industry that are caused by slips, trips and falls can be attributed to the manpower shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic where workers have increased workloads and working hours; (b) what is the number of such injuries in the past five years, broken down by (i) slippery areas (ii) slopes (iii) uneven areas and (iv) cluttered areas; and (c) whether technology can be deployed to mitigate the risks and foster better workplace safety.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Manpower since 2005, what has been the total number of visas granted for (i) intra-corporate transferees and (ii) professionals under the terms of chapter 9 of the India- Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

No.

32 6 JULY 2021 22 41.

42.

43.


Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the sizes of the total and Singapore citizen/permanent resident labour forces respectively for each of the three years before and after (i) 2005 (ii) 2007 (iii) 2014 and (iv) 2018, broken down according to the 2-digit Singapore Standard Occupational Classification 2020 level.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Government has studied the employment and wage changes in the sectors listed in Annex 9A of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement; and (b) if such studies have been conducted, whether the Government will be willing to share these findings and, if not, whether it will consider such a study.
Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in 2020, what percentage of full-time security officers working for private security agencies worked overtime hours; (b) what are the average and median hours worked per officer per month; and (c) what was the highest number of hours worked per officer per month.
PAPERS PRESENTED 2021 Date Presented S. L. 269 Road Traffic (Competency Test) Rules 2021 ..... 5 July 2021 S. L. 270 Road Traffic (Driver Improvement Points System) (Amendment) Rules 2021 ..... 5 July 2021 S. L. 271 Road Traffic (Driver Improvement Points System) (Amendment No.

2) Rules 2021 ..... 5 July 2021 Cmd.

7 Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure and Revised Estimates of Revenue for the Financial Year 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 ..... 5 July 2021